The Atlas / Allied Fiber Glass Company: The Details Are In The Diagrams – Brochure #4

—————————Note: The next series of stories here on Forgotten Fiberglass are going to focus on the brochures and associated customer communication of the Atlas / Allied Fiber Glass Company. We’re lucky here at Forgotten Fiberglass to have become friends with Darren and Julie Crispin whose family created the “Multiplex” line of cars back at the turn of last century and resurrected the make in the ‘50s as well (some using the Atlas / Allied body).

In addition, we’ll be featuring some of the historic Atlas and Allied documents from Dennis and Brandon Kunicki (father and son) who have owned an Allied Sports Car since the early ‘60s, as well as materials from automotive historian and good friend Alden Jewell.

Thanks to each of these families and folks for their support of Forgotten Fiberglass!————————

Hi Gang…

Today’s story spans a few different brochures for Allied. Depending on the month, day, year that the brochure was sent to the customer, you would find 1 or more of the sheets of paper below.

One of the pieces was already presented – in the story on Allied’s “Brochure #1.” This is the first image below, was the basis and format for everything that followed, and became increasingly more sophisticated and accurate with each printing. The remaining information in today’s story is new.

As with every image here at Forgotten Fiberglass, you can use your mouse to click on each image below to make it appear larger on your screen.

Let’s begin.

First Edition: Swallow 94” Wheelbase Diagram (Crispin Collection)

You’ve seen the image before in or first story on Allied brochures. It’s a simple drawing with basic dimensions shown. The wheelbase is incorrectly identified but is corrected in both subsequent editions of this diagram. Based on the second edition of this drawing (shown next), the wheelbase annotation should have read 92” to 96” and not 9′ 6″.

Second Edition: Swallow 94” Wheelbase Diagram (Crispin Collection)

This is the second version of the page and now contains a bird’s eye view of the car with dimensions. Kudos to the guys at Allied. I like it! Let’s order and build one of the cars gang!

Third Edition: Swallow 94” Wheelbase Diagram (Hacker Collection)

We’re passing the speed traps at Bonneville now!

Lots of detail and more professional appearance is the hallmark of this version – the final version we’ve found of the annotated diagram for the 94” wheelbase Allied Swallow Coupe.

The image below is the only version we’ve found in canvassing countless collectors and historians across the country. It may be the only version produced by Allied for the 100” wheelbase car.

Interestingly, the drawing used on the “Third Edition” of the 94” wheelbase diagram is the same basic shape with just a few different annotations and measurements changed and was used here in the “First Edition” of the 100” wheelbase car.

You designers out there know that the measurements wouldn’t be the only thing that changed – so would the shape and size of the drawing of the car. The shape and dimensions of the car would change. This is NOT shown in the drawing below. The tracing of the 94” car in the third edition diagram lies perfectly over the drawing of the 100” wheelbase car – no changes.

This is the only version of this drawing that we’ve ever found, and the 100” wheelbase car remains “unnamed” on the printed page below.

In the image below from the Kunicki family archives, the only difference between the two brochures (above/below) is the typing at the top of the page that appears on the version above designating the diagram for a “100 inch Coupe Body For Detroit-Size Chassis.”

Summary:

We have yet to find similar diagrams for the 94” wheelbase Allied Falcon Roadster. Nor have we found a name for the 100” wheelbase coupe yet. While we can easily substitute one of the 3 versions of the Swallow diagrams above for use with any Falcon Roadster (94” wheelbase) bodied cars, there yet exists a problem as follows:

What was the name of the 100” wheelbase Allied coupes?

The name “Swallow” was clearly erased from the diagrams we’ve found for 100″ coupes, so it seems evident that the name “Swallow” should not apply to these larger cars. Or does it? Perhaps as we review the communication / letters from Allied, the answer will be revealed.

So you Atlas and Allied owners out there….until we have a definitive research-based answer (which may or may not ever be found)….what should we do?

Should all Allied Coupes be designated with the “Swallow” sobriquet? Should all roadsters be identified as “Falcon Roadsters?” This is less of an issue for roadsters since we have only found evidence of roadsters being based on 94” wheelbase cars. No pictures, images – vintage or recent – have been found for 100″ wheelbase Atlas /Allied roadsters.

All solutions are welcomed 🙂

Just don’t use the “Blackhawk” name yet with your Allied car. It might just be taken. Wait ‘till you hear what research has shown with the “Blackhawk” name and “Allied” in a future story here at Forgotten Fiberglass.

About Geoff Hacker

Geoff Hacker, Ph.D. has pursued rare and unusual cars for over 40 years. He is now the premier researcher, archivist and author of the history of handcrafted American sports cars. Hacker owns Undiscovered Classics which finds and restores these rare cars. Their work has led to multiple showings at prestigious concours events including Pebble Beach and Amelia Island. Undiscovered Classics work has been seen on television as well as published extensively in both print and electronic media.
Learn more about Geoff Hacker and Undiscovered Classics by clicking the
following links:
Geoff
Hacker, Ph.D. and/or Undiscovered Classics Portfolio. Geoff can be reached at
Undiscovered.Classics@gmail.com Tampa, Florida (813) 888-8882

Comments

I also have a hand-drawn diagram of the 100″ coupe, but I’m not sure of the source. It might have been from Allied, or it might have been a reproduction used as a working copy during the construction of the car. I suspect that Xerox machines were a little harder to find back then…

Found it! What I have appears to be a hand-drawn sketch of the 100″ wheelbase coupe before the brochure was available. The sketch is double-sided. I’ll light a fire under the scanner and try to get you a copy over the weekend.

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